Bolt-action firearm construction



Dec. 21, 1943. F. F. BURTON BOLT-ACTION FIREARM CONSTRUCTION Filed March 21, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' Dec. 21, 1943. F. F. BURTON 2,337,150

BOLT-ACTION FIREARM CONSTRUCTION Filed March 21. 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 21, 1 943 BOLT-ACTION FIREARM CQNSTRUCTION Frank F. Burton, Mount Carmel, Conn, assignor to Western Cartridge Company, New Haven, Conn, a corporation of Delaware Application March 21, 1939, Serial No. 263,116

Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in the construction of bolt-action firearms, and relates more particularly to the combination of the breech-bolt and receiver-plug features of such firearms.

A will be apparent from the following considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the present invention is concerned with a construction and organization of parts wherein the receiver of the bolt-action firearm is provided at its rear with a demountable receiverplug which is coupled to a reciprocating breechbolt so as to be handable as a unit therewith.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a superior bolt-action firearm with a simpl and reliable construction and arrangement of parts wherein a removable receiver-plug is employed and wherein a breech-bolt is so constructed and arranged as to be handable as a unit with the said receiver-plug to facilitate the cleaning, inspection and. repair of the firearm.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a superior firearm construction embodying a removable receiver-plug, a reciprocating breech-bolt and manually-operable means for {actuating the said breech-bolt, all three of which elements are organized together as a unit.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a superior bolt-action firearm construction in which an action-slide is utilized as coupling-means between a breech-bolt and a receiver-plug to thus minimize the number of parts.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a superior firearm construction .wherein the action-slide is supported for reciprocating movement in a manner which assures ';features in the said disclosure which are novel .over'the prior art and. which are not claimed in any separate application.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain modes of carrying out the present invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. l is a broken view in side elevation of a firearm embodying the present invention and associated parts in side elevation within the said receiver; e

' Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 3'-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. {is a similar view taken on the line i4 of Fig. 2;

Fig.' 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on th'eline 5' 5 of Fig.2 i

Fig. dis a similar view taken on the line 6!'6 of Fig. 2;"

Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation of the unit comprising the breech-bolt, receiver-plug, action- 'slide, and associated parts, detached from the firearm;

" Fig.8 is a top or plan view thereof;

9 is alview in side elevation of the assembly omprising" the breech-bolt and action-slide derear end jof the barrel Z2 is a reciprocating breechshowing the receiver-plug and breech-bolt partly withdrawn from the receiver of the firearm;

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical central-longitudinal section of the receiver and a portion of the barrel tached;

v any approved manner, a receiver 2! and a barrel 22' extending forwardly from the said receiver. The said receiver 2! is of tubular form with its ,exterior cylindrically contoured, save for certain nuts therein as will hereinafter appear. Furthermore, the said receiver is formed interiorly .with an axial cylindrically-contoured bolt-receiving passage 23 which extends throughout the length of the said receiver and at its forward end receives the rear end of the barrel 22 which is rigidly attached to the said receiver in any approved manner such, for instance, as by the threading as shown.

Fitting within the rear portion of the bolt-receivingjpassageit is a cylindrically-contoured receiver-plug 24. Intermediate the forward end of thereceiver -plug 24 just referredto and the bolt ZE which generally considered is cylindri- .cal ly contouredlandwhich is formed at its rear .fil d withan annular bearing-flange 26 and adjacentflitsi forward end with a, similar bearingfiange 21. Both of the bearing-flanges Hand 121 just referred to have a smooth sliding fit within the bolt-receiving passage 23 in the receiver Zl, so as to provide both support and guidance f r ile breechbolt s in its reciprocating movement within the said bolt-receiving passage.

The lower portion of the breech-bolt 25 is formed with a longitudinal passage 28 in which extends the forward end of a spring-guiding plunger 29 having its rear end provided with a head 38 seated in a forwardly-opening socket 3| formed in the receiver-plug 24 and opening through the front face thereof. The socket 3| extends in axial alignment with the longitudinal passage 28 in the breech-bolt 25 and receives the rear end of a helical breech-bolt-return spring 32 which encircles the spring-guiding plunger 29 before referred to. The rear end of the breech-bolt-return spring 32 is seated against the forward face of the head 38 of the springguiding plunger 29 and has its forward end seated against the front-end wall of the longitudinal passage 28 in the breech-bolt 25 as is indicated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.

Above its central longitudinal axis and in parallelism with the longitudinal passage 28, the breech-bolt 25 is formed with a firing-plunger passage generally designated by the reference character 33, and having a relatively-small diametered forward portion 34 opening through the front face of the said breech-bolt and a relatively-large diametered rear portion 35 which latter opens through the rear face of the said breech-bolt.

Mounted for reciprocation within the firingplunger passage 33 in the breech-bolt 25 is the forward portion of a reciprocating firing-plunger generally designated by the reference character 36, and including a cylindrically-contoured bearing-portion 31 located about midway of its length and bearing in the rear portion 35 of the firingplunger passage 33 in the breech-bolt 25. Projecting forwardly from the bearing-portion 31 of the firing-plunger 36 i a firing-point 38 adapted to reciprocate in the forward portion 34 of the passage 33. Projecting rearwardly from the bearing-portion 31 of the firing-plunger 38 is a hank 39 of reduced diameter which is adapted to reciprocate in a bore 48 in the receiver-plug 24.

Encircling the shank 39 of the firing-plunger 36 is a helical firing-spring 4| which thrusts at its rear end against the forward face of the receiver-plug 24 and which at its forward end thrusts against the rear end of the bearingportion 31 of the firing-plunger 35,

The firing-plunger 38 is also formed with a forwardly-facing cocking-shoulder 42 (Figs. 2, '7 and 8) which is engageable by a sear-nose 43 projecting downwardly from the forward end of asear 44 pivotally mounted by means of a transverse pivot-pin 45 in an upwardly-opening cavity 45 formed in the upper portion of the receiverplug 24. The said sear 44 may be actuated in any approved manner not requiring detailed description herein, to disengage its sear-nose 43 from the cocking-shoulder 42 of the firingplunger 38 after the two said features have been engaged by the cooking of the firearm.

The receiver-plug 24 may be secured in place within the rear end of the bolt-receiving passage 23 in the receiver 2| in any suitable manner which will provide for its convenient removal when required, but preferably a reciprocating locking-bolt 41 is employed. The said lockingbolt 4! i mounted for reciprocation in a transverse passage 48 in the rear end of the receiverplug 24 and is both retained and limited in its reciprocating movement by a vertical pin 49 mounted in the receiver-plug 24 and extending diametrically through a clearance-passage 50 in the said locking-bolt 41 as is shown particularly well in Fig. 3. The said locking-bolt 41 is of sufficient length to normally have it respective opposite ends entered into locking engagement with locking-passages 5| and 52 formed in t e respective opposite side walls of the receiver 2|. The locking-passage 5| just referred to is intersected by a longitudinal releasing-passage 53 (Fig. 1) which also intersects the rear end of the receiver 2i and is adapted to. provide clearance and free passage for a neck 54 formed upon the adjacent portion of the locking-bolt 41, as is shown in Fig. 3. The locking-bolt 41 is yieldingly retained in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 3 by a helical spring 55 engaging with the pin 49 before referred to.

From the foregoing it will be seen that by manually shifting the locking-bolt 41 from right to left (as viewed in the drawings) against the tension of the spring 55 to bring its neck 54 into registration with the releasing-passage 53, the receiver-plug 24 will be unlocked and may be withdrawn rearwardly out of the rear endof the receiver 2| as may also the breech-bolt 25, as is indicated in Fig. l,

Inasmuch as the breech-bolt-return spring 32 and also. the firing-spring 4| exert a constant effort to axially separate the receiver-plug 24 and the breech-bolt 25, the two latter elements would normally become separated from each other when removed from the receiver 2| in the manner described. To guard against the axial separation of the said receiver-plug 24 and the breech-bolt 25 and to permit the two said units to be handled as a unit, the right side-wall of the said receiver-plug 24 is provided with a longitudinal cavity 58 having a relatively-narrow throat-portion 51 intersecting the front face of the receiverplug 24. The said throat-portion 51 is adapted to receive and guide with a free sliding fit the rear portion of an action-slide 58 which is preferably formed of sheet metal and which has its forward portion located in a longitudinal groove 59 formed in the side-wall of the rear portion of the breech-bolt 25. The said action-slide 58 is secured to the breech-bolt 25, with capacity for slight pivotal movement, by means of a vertical retaining-pin carried by the said breechbolt and extending through a suitable perforation in the action-slide 58 adjacent the forward end thereof. At its rear end the action-slide 58 is formed with a depending limiting-finger 6| which is adapted to engage with a rearwardly-facing stop-abutment 62 constituted by that particular portion of the forward wall of the cavity 56 in the receiver-plug 24 which is located immediately below the throat portion 51 therein. The limiting-finger 8| i free to reciprocate within the cavity 56, intermediate the front and rear endwalls thereof, to thus permit the breech-bolt 25 to be manually reciprocated with respect to the normally-immovable receiver-plug 24. The limiting-finger 6| and the cavity 58 thus provide a lost-motion coupling or connection between the said breech-bolt 25 and the said receiver-plug 24.

The action-slide 58 above referred to is also formed adjacent its rear end with a laterallyprojecting finger-piece 63 which extends upwardly and slightly rearwardly from the plane of the major portion of the said action-slide 58 and preferably has a knurled and concave forward face, as shown. The base-portion of the said finger-piece 33 is adapted to reciprocate in a clearance slot 3 6A formed in wall of the receiver 2 I.

V the adjacent side When the receiver-plug 24, the breech-bolt 2'5 and the associatedparts are assembled in the receiver 2|, the user of the firearm may manually bolt-return spring 32 and assume its breech-closing position while the'fi-ring-plunger 38 remains cocked, preparatory to discharging the firearm, in which latter event, the said firing-plunger "will reassurne the position in which it is shown in the drawings.

'When it is desired to remove the breech-bolt 25 and its associated'parts, for any purpose such, for instance, as to permit the cleaning and oiling of -the parts, the locking-bolt 41' is pressed from right to left to release the receiver-plug 24 in the manner before described herein. As the r ceiver-plug 2a is moved rearwardly, out of the rear end of the receiver 2!, the breech-bolt 25 will lag slightly therebehind until the limitingfinger SI of the action-slide 58 engages with the stop-abutm nt $2 in the said receiver-plug. The continued rearward draft upon the receiver-plug 24 will, under the conditions just described, draw with it, by virtue of the coupling action of the action-slide 58, the said breech-bolt 25, together with the parts carried thereby. The assembly or unit as thus withdrawn is shown particularly well in Figs. 7 and 8.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the breech-bolt 25 and its associated parts may be readily demounted from the firearm structure by the simple act of releasing and removing the receiver-plug 2d and, further, that the parts as thus removed will remain assembled and, therefore, not require elaborate manipulation or adjustment to insure their proper reinstallation into the receiver 2!.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrativ and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

l. A bolt-action firearm-construction, including in combination: a receiver having a longitudinal bolt-receiving passage therein and a longitudinal slot in its side wall and both opening through its rear end; a breech-bolt reciprocatable in the bolt-receiving passage in the said receiver and removable through the rear end thereof; a receiver-plug removably secured within the rear end of the bolt-receiving passage in the said receiver; a releasable spring-pressed locking-bolt movable transversely of and engageable with both the said receiver-plug and the said receiver; a manually-operable reciprocating action-slide extending between the said breech-bolt and the said receiver-plug; first coupling-means connecting a forward portion of'the said action-slide to the said breech-bolt and constructed and arranged to hold both thereof against turning movement relative to theother; lost-motion coupling-means connecting a rear portion of the said action-slide to the said receiver-plug and constructed and arranged to hold both thereof against turning movement relative to the other and to permit limited longitudinal movement between the said action-slide and the said receiver-plug; and an operatinghandle projecting outwardly from the said action-slideinto' the longitudinal slot in the said receiver and coacting with the walls of the said longitudinal slot to hold the said action-slide and hence the said breech-bolt and receiverplug against rotary turning movement relative to the said receiver.

2. A bolt-action firearm-construction, including incombination: .a receiver having a longitudinal bolt-receiving passage therein and openingthrough its rear end; a receiver-plug removably secured within the rear end of the bolt-receiving passage in .the said receiver and having a stop-abutment; a breech-bolt located forwardly of the said receiver-plug and reciprocating with respect thereto in the bolt-receiving passage in the said receiver and-removable through the rear end of the latter; and a manually-operable reciprocating action-slide coupled to and organized with the said breech-bolt and operable to move with the said breech-bolt in the reciprocating movements thereof, the .said action-slide having a. limiting-finger engageable with the stop-abutment of the said receiver-plug to limit the :axial displacement of the said breech-bolt With respect to the said receiver-plug.

3. A bolt-action firearm-construction, including in combination: a receiver having a longitudinal bolt-receiving passage therein and opening through its rear end, the said receiver also having a substantially-longitudinal clearanceslot extending through its side wall and opening through the rear end of the receiver; a breechbolt reciprocable in the bolt-receiving passage in the said receiver and removable through the rear end thereof; a receiver-plug removably attached to the rear end of the said receiver in position to block the rear end of the bolt-receiving passage therein; a coupling-member loosely interconnecting the said receiver-plug and the said breechbolt and serving to hold both thereof against axial separation, the said coupling-member having a portion extending outwardly through the substantially-longitudinal clearance-slot in the side wall of the said receiver and serving in conjunction with the said clearance-slot to restrict the turning movement of the coupling-member and the said breech-bolt and receiver-plug, the outwardly-extending portion of the said couplingmember being retirable rearwardly with the said coupling-member and out of the open rear end of the clearance-slot in the said receiver; and coupling-means releasably connecting the said receiver-plug to the said receiver and movable relative to both the said receiver and the said receiver-plug to permit the rearward removal of the latter jointly with the said breech-bolt and coupling-memben 4. A bolt-action firearmconstruction, including in combination: a receiver having a longitudinal bolt-receiving passage therein and opening through its rear end, the said receiver also having a substantially-longitudinal clearance-slot extending through its side wall and opening through the rear end of the receiver; a breechbolt reciprocable in the bolt-receiving passage in the said receiver and removable through the rear end thereof; a receiver-plug removably attached to the rear end of the said receiver in position to block the rear end of the bolt-receiving passage therein; breech-closing spring-means thrusting rearwardly upon the said receiver-plug and forwardly upon the said breech-bolt; a couplingmember loosely interconnecting the said receiverplug and the said breech-bolt and serving to hold both thereof against axial separation under the urge of the said breech-closing spring-means, the said coupling-member having a portion extending outwardly through the substantiallylongitudinal clearance-slot in the side wall of the said receiver and serving in conjunction with the said clearance-slot to restrict the turning movement of the coupling-member and the said breech-bolt and receiver-plug, the outwardly-extending portion of the said coupling-member being retirable rearwardly with the said couplingmember and out of the open rear end of the clearance-slot in the said receiver; and couplingmeans releasably connecting the said receiverplug to the said receiver and movable relative to both the said receiver and the said receiver-plug to permit the rearward removal of the latter jointly With the said breech-bolt and couplingmember.

5. A bolt-action firearm construction, including in combination: a receiver having a longitudinal bolt-receiving passage therein and opening through its rear end, the said receiver also having a substantially-longitudinal clearanceslot extending through its side Wall and opening through the rear endlof the receiver; a breechbolt reciprocable in the bolt-receiving passage in the said receiver and removable through the rear end thereof; a receiver-plug removably attached to the rear end of the said receiver in position to block the rear end of the bolt-receiving passage therein; breech-closing spring-means thrusting rearwardly upon the said receiver-plug and forwardly upon the said breech-bolt; a firing-member carried by the said breech-bolt; firing-spring means thrusting rearwardly upon the said receiver-plug and forwardly upon the said firingmember; a coupling-member loosely interconnecting the said receiver-plug and the said breech-bolt and serving to hold both thereof against axial separation under the urge of the said breech-closing spring-means and of the said firing-spring means, the said coupling-member having a portion extending outwardly through the substantially-longitudinal clearance-slot in the side Wall of the said receiver and serving in conjunction with the said clearance-slot to restrict the turning movement of the couplingmember and the said breech-bolt and receiverplug, the outwardly-extending portion of the said coupling-member being retirable rearwardly with the said coupling-member and out of the open rear end of the clearance-slot in the said receiver; and coupling-means releasably connecting the said receiver-plug to the said receiver and movable relative to both the said receiver and the said receiver-plug to permit the rearward removal of the latter jointly with the said breech-bolt and coupling-member.

FRANK F. BURTON. 

